Truth in Desire
by Kalira69
Summary: Shiro has always been drawn to Keith, but the truth stands between them and keeps him from trying to get any closer. (Pre-Kerberos, Omegaverse; Written for Sheith Month, Day 29)


Written for Day 29 of Sheith Month: Honesty & Lies.

Realised earlier this month that I have (had) yet to actually finish and publish an omega!Shiro story . . . and then worked this one out for the sole remaining prompt in Sheith Month for which I had no plan. (Amusingly, my first Sheith omegaverse story was written for the end of last year's Sheith Month - day 31, that time.)

* * *

Shiro's eyes strayed from the questions he was reviewing across the book spread out next to his own work, lingering on the strong hands splayed over the open pages. Shiro bit his lip and forced himself to look away again, taking a deep breath.

It was . . . limited in helpfulness, as it brought him a nose full of the spice and ozone scent Keith carried that even suppressants couldn't dull. Shiro swallowed thickly, his eyes ticking up to Keith's face. His slightly shaggy hair fell alongside his sharp jaw, framing it, and there was a faint crease between his brows as he focused hard on the book he was studying from, callused fingertips toying with the edges of the pages.

Shiro smiled faintly and dragged his own focus back to the review questions, tapping his fingertips on the surface of the desk they were sharing. He stopped before it could become annoying for his study partner and took another deep breath as he made a note beside one of the questions. Keith's rich scent might be distracting but it was also . . . steadying.

Shiro sighed, absently circling a couple of salient points he needed to reference for more detail before he could settle on the best answer. His attention wandered again and this time he let it, his thoughts getting a little muddled from the number of different threads he'd been chasing for the list in front of him. Head still bowed, Shiro's eyes lingered on Keith's profile, his intent expression as he narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. He suddenly turned away from his book to reach across the desk.

Shiro jumped, and Keith looked up at him, quirking a brow and giving him a half smile.

"You startled me, sorry." Shiro said wryly, rubbing his face.

Keith hesitated, then dropped the book he'd grabbed for on top of the one already open before him. "Been working on that for a long time," he raised a hand and Shiro smiled reflexively as it brushed his bicep, "maybe time to take a break if you're getting that jumpy?"

Shiro eyed his homework, then sighed and sank back in his chair. "Probably." he admitted, crinkling his nose. "What about you?" He nodded towards the work lying in an only slightly messy spread before Keith - his organisational methods never made sense to Shiro, but he'd repeatedly seen Keith instantly put his fingers on anything he needed as long as he was allowed to organise things however he chose.

"Mm. . . Yeah, probably so." Keith said, arching back in his chair and reaching both arms up over his head, tipping his head as he folded them together. "Plenty to do, but-"

"There always is?" Shiro finished with a huff of laughter.

Keith shot him a grin. "Is the golden boy complaining?" he teased, and Shiro considered for a split-second, then stuck his tongue out at Keith. He laughed, head falling back, exposing the angular lines of his neck as his eyes closed.

Shiro licked his lips, then pressed them together, looking away and taking a slow, steadying breath.

He vaguely heard Keith shifting beside him, probably sliding out of his lazy stretch, and absently began to reach for a pencil before halting the movement. Keith was right, a break would do them both good. Keith's fingers made contact with his arm again, Shiro turned towards him and-

Keith kissed him. Shiro's eyes went wide and a coil of warmth in his chest swelled as though to bowl him over. Keith was _kissing_ him, lips firm and soft against his own, hands framing his face and body leaning up and over his at the desk and-

Shiro pushed at him, the warmth turning into a strangling coil inside him. "No." he gasped out breathlessly. "No, Keith, please." He shoved, hard, though it hurt to do it, and Keith pulled away, looking confused and then _stricken_.

Keith bowed his head. "I'm . . . I'm sorry, Shiro." he said sincerely. "I thought. . . I thought you _wanted_ \- It doesn't matter. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Shiro's heart _ached_. Because he _did_ want, oh _god_ , he had never wanted anything like he wanted Keith, hadn't thought he _could_ want an alpha the way he wanted Keith no matter what pull nature and hormones offered at times, but Keith-

Keith didn't _know_.

Which meant. . .

"I didn't know you were . . . ah, that you . . . were attracted to other alphas." Shiro managed awkwardly as Keith gave him a quizzical look. "I'm . . . not homoaligned, though." he said - that much was honest; he'd never been much drawn to alphas but he also _really_ wasn't-

Keith cocked his head. "But . . . you're not an alpha." he said, only looking more confused.

Shiro's eyes widened. "What?" he said weakly.

"You're not an alpha." Keith said slowly. "I've never understood why everyone seems to think you are but it's not like it matters so-"

"How long have you known?" Shiro asked, a sudden knot tightening in his chest - his heart wasn't sure whether to flutter at the thought that Keith really was attracted to _him_ , to him as he truly was, or to sink remembering when Keith's behaviour towards him had begun to . . . change, barely noticeable but now he was looking back. . .

"Since . . . we . . . met?" Keith said uncertainly. Shiro was shaken, unable to do anything more than stare at his friend. "Shiro it was just _obvious_ , I'm sorry if you were trying- I don't know what's- I'm sorry I kissed you when you didn't," he flushed, looking miserable, "when you didn't want me. I shouldn't have done that." He bowed his head again, taking half a step back, and oh _no_ he was probably going to _leave_ and- _Since we met_ oh god that meant-

Shiro lunged to his feet and slammed into Keith, knocking him to the ground. Shiro flushed, mortified, but Keith, pinned under his weight, only looked up at him with wide eyes. "I'm sorry, don't go." Shiro babbled. "I- I do like you, _so much_ , I've wanted to kiss you for- But I didn't- Everyone thinks I'm-" he gestured to himself, even as he recoiled slightly, abashed.

"I've never understood that." Keith said again, as though he wasn't completely ignoring the initial notion _everyone_ formed about Shiro, and had since his first heat had coincided agonisingly with a final growth spurt that broadened his shoulders and left him towering over both of his parents and almost everyone else in his class. Once he started taking suppressants that deadened his scent - like most people at the Garrison, cadets and officers alike - no one assumed _Shiro_ , big and broad and full of ambitious, loud dreams that lead up among the stars, was an omega.

"You've never treated me like- like an omega." Shiro blurted, flush deepening painfully. "Like you knew." he managed, trembling a little.

Keith blinked at him, petting gently along his ribs, and Shiro realised belatedly that Keith's hands had come up to his sides, steadying him when they hit the floor, even though Shiro had landed _on_ him. "Yes I . . . have?" he said uncertainly.

Shiro blinked at him, startled.

"What did you expect me to do?" Keith said, frowning slightly. He reached up and brushed a caress over Shiro's cheek, then stiffened and yanked his hand away. "Sorry." he muttered again, cutting his eyes away, looking regretful.

This close Keith's scent was. . .

Shiro dipped his head and rubbed his lips against Keith's jaw, unable to resist when he was so close and when he knew that Keith _wanted_ him. Keith wanted him and knew he was an omega - somehow _had_ known the truth and just never-

Arching his neck and tipping his jaw up under Shiro's mouth, Keith made a strangled sound like he was dying and turned his head, catching Shiro with a fierce kiss that made his head spin. Shiro moaned, losing himself in it and almost collapsing fully on top of Keith, losing the presence of mind to know he was no doubt too heavy for that. Keith didn't seem to care, one hand sliding over his back and the other cradling his face as Keith's kiss slowly gentled. He nibbled lightly at Shiro's lower lip as he gasped for breath, shivering and overwhelmed.

"Is this okay?" Keith asked, his voice throaty and rich.

Shiro whimpered quietly, fingers curling into Keith's shirt. He could _feel_ Keith's voice, pressed so close. "Please." he managed, breath still coming short.

Keith let out a soft moan that thrummed like a purr and kissed him again, this time all slow exploration and tender invitation, accompanied by caresses that ran down Shiro's neck and across his shoulders. Shiro clung to Keith in return, one hand curling around the base of his neck and making him groan, his rangy, solid body arching up into Shiro's.

His scent thickened, spicier and stronger than usual, and Shiro broke away from the kiss, panting, wanting to get _drunk_ on it. He nuzzled Keith's jaw and found his way to the source of it low in the crook of Keith's neck. He buried his nose there, moaning and pushing in against Keith. At the back of his mind he was aware he was acting . . . a little more wildly than he should, but Keith didn't stop him, only gave him more room to nuzzle in and cupped the back of his head with one hand.

Shiro breathed in deeply, then forced himself away, sliding off of Keith partially onto the floor beside him. Keith didn't let him go far, one arm still curled around his shoulders, fingertips scratching lightly through his short hair. Shiro leaned into him, eyes closing as he bowed his head under the gentle touch. Keith rubbed down the nape of his neck, then brought his hand around to follow the line of Shiro's jaw with a lighter caress.

"Did you- You really knew?" Shiro asked plaintively, unable to help it. "About me?" He lifted his head enough to be able to look at Keith as he shifted, meeting Shiro's gaze.

He nodded. "I thought they were being rude at first." he said, his fingers combing through Shiro's forelock gently, stroking down the side of his face after. Shiro couldn't help but melt into his caresses with every pass of his fingers, from both the touch itself and the slowly intensifying spread of Keith's scent from the oils on his fingertips. Shiro was faintly dizzy with pleasure at the sensation of being claimed by an alpha he'd longed for so dearly. "When I heard them say _Shiro_ and _alpha_ ; until I overheard a little group of omegas discussing how to get your attention and _squabbling_ over you because they all said they wanted you for _their_ alpha."

Shiro flushed. He had been forced to turn down approaches from several omegas since he started at the Garrison - or worse, bring up their courting behaviours himself and ask them to stop - and it was _always_ uncomfortable. Although he supposed that would probably have been the case even if he really _were_ an alpha.

"Pretty much no one has ever guessed, since I started taking suppressants." Shiro said softly, and Keith gave him a confused look. "I don't _look_ like. . ." He trailed off, huffing and trying not to let the familiar burn of self-consciousness rise up too much. Shiro might be attractive in general but he was hardly the picture of an ideal omega.

" _How_ can no one tell." Keith said, and shook his head, then shifted closer, nuzzling Shiro's cheek as his lean body pressed snugly into Shiro's. "I've known since we met but it didn't _matter_ and you never brought it up, so I . . . didn't say anything. I'm sorry if I should have?" he said awkwardly, leaning his head back a bit.

Shiro shook his head. "No, I. . ." He swallowed. "I wish I'd _known_ you knew, but no, that's. . . That's fine." He tentatively kissed Keith's jaw, relaxing and repeating the caress as Keith smiled, one hand rubbing up and down Shiro's back. "I. . ." Shiro began, half muffled against Keith's jaw. He squirmed and ducked his chin, hiding his face.

"What is it?" Keith asked softly, steady and reassuring. As wild as Keith _was_ , wilful, strong, and- and angry, he was unfailingly steady and sure. Shiro knew he wasn't immune to uncertainty or anxiety - had even helped soothe or coax Keith through bouts of both, particularly when he first came to the Garrison - but he never let it slow him down, and his confidence bolstered Shiro. Keith's intrinsic strength and steadiness said _alpha_ to Shiro far more than any amount of posturing or meaningless aggressiveness. _Called_ to Shiro. "Shiro?"

Shiro shook his head, lips brushing along the underside of Keith's jaw now, pulling a shiver from him. "You're. . ." he tried again, then trailed off. He drew a deep breath and rubbed his cheekbone against Keith's chin. Emboldened by the closeness and by the way Keith's scent clung to him already, Shiro closed his eyes and started again.

"One reason I wish I had known that you knew is that I," he paused, swallowing, "have _desperately_ wanted you." he said, flushing hard. Keith stilled, not quite tensing under Shiro. "You heard and wondered at omegas wanting me," Shiro shook his head slightly, embarrassed and awkward at the thought, "and I . . . I wanted _you_ to be," he paused again, taking a quick breath, " _my_ alpha."

Keith made a soft sound, then closed his arms tighter around Shiro. "Oh, Shiro." he murmured, soft and _wrecked_. His hands wandered Shiro's shoulders and back. "You're _lovely_." he said in a low, warm voice and Shiro's flush would have deepened if it could have as he ducked his chin, nearly putting his face in Keith's throat, squirming.

Keith hummed, tipping his head as though to invite Shiro closer.

Encouraged, Shiro pressed his nose against Keith's throat as he had before, working his way down and purring faintly with pleasure. He found the strongest source of Keith's scent again and nudged first his cheek and then his mouth against it, feeling Keith shiver under his touch.

Keith's hands curled over Shiro's hips for a moment, squeezing, then loosened their grip and stroked up and down his sides. One crept up Shiro's ribs and over his back once more, and he arched under it happily, kissing Keith's throat. Keith's fingers trailed up into his hair, and Shiro hummed, then opened his mouth and delicately pressed his tongue to Keith's skin.

" _You_. . ." Keith's voice was even lower, rough now. "You should stop."

Shiro dragged his tongue over the warm skin. "Mmm. . . Should I?" he asked, the tips of Keith's hair tickling his face as he tilted his head, getting even closer to the lovely little spot at the base of Keith's neck. He experimentally set his teeth against Keith's skin, not quite biting, and shivered at the way Keith's pulse throbbed against his mouth, Keith's scent thick around him.

Keith jolted as Shiro's teeth pressed down, just a bit, and his fingers tightened, sliding down to the nape of Shiro's neck. "Shiro. You . . . should stop." he repeated, a little more firmly, though still not a command.

Shiro knew he should, really, even if he didn't want to, and he whined regretfully even as he released his gentle bite, rubbing his cheek against Keith's neck and jaw.

"Come on, sweetling." Keith said softly, and Shiro stilled, struck by the petname. "Not here, not like this, even if you. . ." He trailed a caress down Shiro's spine, and he shivered under it even as he lifted his head.

Keith was flushed now, a fetching dusting of red across his cheekbones, his intense eyes dark and heavy-lidded but no less sharp than usual. It took Shiro's breath away, being the centre of that focus and so _close_.

"I do." Shiro said, and he barely recognised the sound of his own voice, thick and wanton. "Want. That. You." He stopped, attempting to string together something a little more sensible, but Keith cupped his cheek and kissed him again before he could manage.

It was soft, this time, shallow and sweet and no less a possessive claiming for that. Shiro shivered all the way down to his toes, wrapping an arm around Keith's waist and clinging to him. He could feel Keith's smile as he pulled away - Shiro whined in protest, earning himself a gentle brush of lips over his cheek; he sighed.

Keith's nose bumped along his jaw and Shiro whined again, this time in entreaty, tipping his head back. He needn't have begged; Keith's head dipped and his mouth trailed hot, stinging little kisses down Shiro's throat until he was nuzzling in against the tender spot where Shiro's scent was thickest along his neck.

Shiro shivered and Keith _bit_ \- gentle, but firm, teeth digging into tender skin and the little knot of the gland beneath, worrying it almost playfully, hot tongue pressing against the throbbing flesh. Shiro shuddered and _keened_ and Keith growled, rough and overwhelming but soft enough to soothe. As Keith released the bite the low rumble slipped into a gentler purr, and he lapped delicately at the tender spot.

Keith pulled away, eventually, though Shiro couldn't have said how long he spent with his mouth lavishing attention on Shiro's neck, and leaned over him. Shiro didn't know when he'd settled onto his back, he had no memory of moving. He still felt faintly like he was spinning. Keith framed his face with gentle hands and kissed his brow. "Not like this and not on the floor, sweetling," he said softly, rubbing his nose affectionately against Shiro's, "not even if you want me as much as I want you."

Shiro's stomach turned over giddily at those words and he reached up for Keith, who rolled his shoulders into Shiro's grip permissively. "But- Soon?"

Keith smiled crookedly. "Soon." he murmured, kissing Shiro softly on the lips. "If you're sure."

"I am!" Shiro shot back instantly, brows drawing together.

Keith's eyes were warm. "Me too." he said simply, and didn't ask any further. "Come on, let's get you out of the floor." He pulled back, up onto the balls of his feet, holding out his hands and clasping Shiro's, but made no move to rise from his crouch as Shiro sat up and leaned in close. Rather than getting up himself, he tentatively tipped his head and kissed Keith at one corner of his mouth. Keith turned into it and kissed him again. Lashes fluttering as he closed his eyes, Shiro melted into his alpha with a contented purr.

* * *

. . .and they spent the rest of the evening kissing and petting and flatly forgot to go back to homework. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

They're (. . .probably) talking about bonding but not sex, for 'not here on the floor'. Perhaps a bit quick to be so sure that's what they want, but then, Shiro and Keith have never precisely been uncertain about each other.

Keith may be more perceptive than average, but he had an advantage in that his Galra blood makes his senses stronger than the usual pure-human alpha (it also makes his hormones stronger; suppressants don't do much for him, aside from the slightest bit of dulling his scent and making his ruts a smidgen less overwhelming).


End file.
